But the Canberra cyclist never stopped believing. He just had to look at his tattoo that said exactly that. Believe.

He's won three Tour stages before and he's even won a green jersey, but it wouldn't take much to believe this was his greatest win of all.

The BikeExchange-Jayco rider produced one of the rides of his life to salute in stage 14 in the wee small hours of Sunday morning.

Twice he's been bettered in this Tour alone. On sprint stages that suit the puncheur, finishing in the agonising second position.

But he showed he's much more than just a sprinter.

He attacked with 52 kilometres to go in an effort that would also earn him the most combative rider of the stage.

And no sooner had he crossed the line and he was dedicating the win to his daughter Kaia and his wife Katarina for all the sacrifices they make so he can chase his dream.

His four-year-old daughter wasn't even born when he became the toast of Australia to claim the sprinter's green jersey in 2017.

"I think it's pretty much the story of my career. I've had so many roller-coasters up and down, but my wife, my daughter - they kept believing in me," an emotional Matthews told SBS after the win.

"How many times I've been smashed down to get back up.

"This was for my daughter today. She's four years old and I really just wanted to show her that the time I'm away, all the time, is to show her what I do it for. And today was that day."

The Canberran decided it would be that day a long way out from the finish. Especially for a sprinter.

Fifty-two-kilometres is a long way - especially for someone who normally sprints home the last few hundred metres.

But he took the race on and rode for his life. Even more than that. His family.

And even though he was caught, and then bettered by Alberto Bettiol on the final climb, he was never beaten.

He simply gritted his teeth and fought back, reclaiming the lead by the summit before tearing away to victory.

Matthews came second to green jersey-wearer Wout van Aert at Lausanne and second to the Tour's current second overall Tadej Pogacar at Longwy.

Pogacar's still second overall, two minutes and 22 seconds behind race leader Jonas Vingegaard.

Matthews revealed he'd been driven by a disappointing previous stage on Saturday.

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"I think after yesterday, it was a big opportunity missed," he said.

"Yesterday was a really good stage for me and this three-day block from yesterday to tomorrow was what our team was aiming for in the second week.

"Yesterday went so bad for myself. My team rode in the final to bring back the sprint for Dylan [Groenewegen], but we were a bit too late.

"But today I just knew this was probably my last chance.

"Into Lausanne was a good opportunity - I came off second. Into - what was the other stage - when I was second to Tadej, second best again.

"You're running out of chances in this Tour de France and I think I wanted to show everyone I'm not just a sprinter. I can also ride like I rode today.

"Just thinking of my daughter on that final climb up to the finish, my wife, how much sacrifice they make for me, to make my dreams come true.

"Hopefully today I showed them the reason why we sacrifice so much."

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